X-ray equipment mounting column



Sept. 12, 1950 w. TODD ETAL 2,522,147

x-RAY EQUIPMENT MOUNTING COLUMN Filed Jan. 2, 194.7

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Patented Sept. 12, 1950 vx-RAY EQUIBMENT MOUNTING COLUMN William L. Todd, New Smyrna Beach, Fla., and Adolph H.-Feibel, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to The Kelley-Koett Manufacturing Co., `(lovington, Ky., a corporation `oi' Ohio Application January 2, 1947, seriai'No.' 719,892 e 11 Claims. (Cl. 248-162) The invention relates to devices for supporting the adjustable X-ray `apparatus which vis employed for treatment of patients, lluoroscopy, radiography and the like. `X-ray generators 'are heavy and the various supporting elements for the same, for screens or plate holders appended thereto, and for devices for locating the patient with respect thereto, all make up structures which must be safely supported for Vertical movement on a standard or column or groupv of columns. as well as counterweighted and well guided, so as to be easy to manipulate accurately.

The accepted mode of providing a standardfor such apparatus is to use one or more hollow standing tubes on a suitable base, locate a counterweight within each tube, and to guide the X-'ray apparatus on the' tubular column or co1- umns by means of projecting ribs or strips on the column. The cable to the counterweight in such cases passes over a pulley held in an overhanging portion of a cap located ronthe tubular column.

It is undesirable to have cables whichpass `up in spaced relation tothe column,` which is necessary in such constructions. It is notas safe as it might be to locate the pulley for thecounter-J weight cable in the projection of a cap on the top of the tube, because this cap may become dislodged and permit the X-ray apparatus to drop a short distanceand possibly injure a patient. For best operation and 'longest lifeof a cable itis not desirable to expose it to the twisting action of a counterweight whichmcan rotate within the tubular column. Should a counterweight become loose or a cable break, Athe heavy apparatus might well fallen a patient. `For smooth well guided movement of the mounting piecerfor the X-ray unit on the column, the present mode of mounting is not fully effective. y

The object of our inventionis to providefor a simple and improved mounting in which instead of a projecting rib serving as a'guide along a tubular supporting column, the column is formed with a longitudinal channel in it, and rollers on the X-ray unit travel in this channel. In such a construction the counterwelght is shaped to the inside of the tubular column, i. e., it has a groove in it to guide over the inwardly projecting rib resulting fromlforming the external channel in the column. In such a construction the counterweight cable can be located mainly within the channel of the column andthe cable pulleyin the top of the column may be mounted on depending arms on the column cap which lie within the top of the column with the pulley only exposed in the upper end of the vertical channel. By these modifications 'ff over" the accepted an axle pin '1.'

mounting practice, we have, as will be observed, provided a practical and inexpensive solution that avoids the difliculties of past constructions, and in adition brings the traveling head closer to the column giving a neater appearance. Because the channel can be formed by rolling a groove into a piece of tubing, there are no cracks or ssures in the face of the column as are present with the superimposed guiding ribs of present day apparatus.

We have illustrated our invention as applied to a single column support. It is equally applicable to two column or four column supports and indeed wherever a counterweighted piece of ap# paratus is movably mounted on a vertical colum-J nar support.

` AIn the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective ofthe novel moun lng column.

Figure 2 is a section on theline 2-2 of Figure 1 on a larger scale.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4` is a side elevation of a typical carriage or head for use on the novel support.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Figure 4;

The base l as shown, ls intended `to illustrate any heavy base element to be mounted on a, floor. Instead of a'xed base some X-ray apparatus moves on a track on the oor, in which case vI would be a base equipped with carrying wheels of some kind. The column 2 is provided. It is 'a hollow tube which has been placed over a form and rolled with a rectangular channel 3 therein extending from "top to bottom. There are various ways in which a counterweight cable pulley can be mounted on the column. The preferred mannerof doing so is to provide a closure cap forv the column as at which lits into the top of the column, this cap having depending arms 5 that support the counterweight pulley B by means of The pulley is of a dimension which` extends from the approximate middle of the col.-

umn through the base wall of the channel which' is cut away as'at B to expose it. e .l H Thus the counterweight cable B can be mountedv on the X-ray mounting head so as to lie mainly within the channel'as illustrated.

will be grooved atll to lit'over the inward pro` jection ofthe channel. This not onlyresults in guiding the weight and preventing its rotate* ing around but it avoids cutting down on the cross section ofthe weight which would other-i Wise bel required in which case the weight would'` have tobe longer vand 'theV counterweighted travel of the X-ray mounting head corespondingly restrlcted.

It should possibly be repeated that the same construction as above set iorth is simply duplicated for as many columns as are used to support the traveling head in the X-ray. apparatus.

To indicate howthe ytraveling head will cooperate with the novel column, we have shown a head I2 which fits over the column, and at the channel side thereof is equipped with rollers I3 and I4 at the top and bottom of' the head which rollers engage the base of the channel or fairly snugly engage the side walls thereof. The rollers are mounted as desired, here illustrated as on cross pins I5 and l5'. At the other side of thev head a pair of pins I6 and I6' support concave faced rolls l1 and Il which bear on the regular curved face of the column.

The usual mode of securing the cable to the head may be used which will bring the lower end of the cable slightly outside of the channel in the column. The tting that secures the. cable to the head could, however, readily be projected to place the cable directly in the channel as will be apparent without illustration. To attach the cable to the weight, it is strung through a hole I8 in the Weight with its lower end tied in a knot or engaged in any desired manner.

In the particular head illustrated a pair of slide rods I9 and I9 are used on which the X-ray unit 2Q is supported. These rods are guided and held in the head by rollers 2| and 2l on a cross pin 22 at the front, and rollers 23 and 23 on the upper cross pin for the rear column engaging concave rollers.

Having thus described our. invention, what We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A columnar support for the sliding head on which X-ray apparatus is mounted, comprising a base at least one tubular column on the base, said column having a. channel therein to act as a guide for the head, a counterweight pulley located within thetop of the column and projecting within said channel through a cut away portion thereof whereby a counterweight cable attached to the head will lie within the channel, Said channel of dimensions to accept the cable within its connes, a counterweight within the column, said counterweight having a groove therein to t over the inward'projection resulting from the channel.

2. The combination of claim 1, together with a. head having rollers mounted thereon of a shape to t within .said channel and ride on the base thereof, and a cable connected to the head and passing over the pulley and secured to the counterweight.

3. The combination of claim l in which the counterweight pulley has a diameter substantially equal to the radius of the tube and positioned at the midpoint of said radius` whereby aI in, which the pulley isfofa dimension to come,

toy approximately the center of the column whereby a counterweight cableattached to the head will lie within said channel.

5. The combination of claiml 1 in which the counterweight pulleyprojectsonly within thev channel through a cut awayvportionl thereof, and

in. which the pulley is of a dimension to come to` approximately the center of the column, said pulley being mounted on depending ears on a cap located in the top of the column whereby a counterweight cable attached to the head will lie within said channel.

6..y The combination of claim 1 together with a head, vertically spaced rollers mounted in the head to fit within said channel, and concave rollers mounted on said head to bear on the curved face of the column opposite said rst mentioned rollers whereby said head is mounted for smooth vertical movement on said column.

7. In an- X-ray supporting device the combination of a hollow supporting column and a head mounted thereon, said column having a reentrant channel therein to act as a guide for the head, a counterweight pulley located within the top of the column and a counterweight within the column, said counterweight having a groove therein to fit the inward projection of the channel,'a,l cable connected to the head and passing over the pulley and secured to the counterweight, vertically spaced rollers mounted in the head of a shape to i'it within said channel, at least one concave roller mounted on the head to bear on the opposite curved face of the column whereby the head is mounted for smooth vertical movement on the supporting column, a Pair of slide rods passing through the head transverse the supporting column and concave rollers mounted in horizontally spaced relation in said head on which said rods have bearing for smooth transverse movement with respect to said head.

`8. The structure claimed in claim 7 in which a concave roller is positionedv opposite each channel riding roller, whereby the channel rollers are maintained tightly in said channel. c 9. The structure claimed in claim 7 in which a concave roller and at least one concave slide rod supporting roller are mounted upon a common cross pin in said head.

10. In av device for the purpose described, a hollow columnar tube having a longitudinal reentrant channel and a cap for the top thereof, arms extending from the cap downwardly into thetube and supporting a pulley-wheel whereby the pulley-wheel may be substantially concealed within said tube, said re-entrant channel ad.- jacent said pulley-wheel being cut away to permita portion of said pulley-wheel to extend into4 said channel.

, 11. In a device for the purposes described, a columnar tube having a longitudinal re-entrant channel therein, a removable cap for the top of the tube, depending arms extending from the cap withinthe tube andsupporting a counterweight pulley having aV diameter substantially equal to the radius of the tube and a portion projecting into the channel from the inside of said tube through a cut away portion thereof.

WILLIAM L. TODD. ADOLPI-I H. FEIBEL.

REFERENCES CITED vllhe following references are of record ln the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

